Don't get trapped inside without a Phillips! - Montana Owners Club

Montana_70 · 08-20-2005, 06:43 AM

That's right. Be sure you have a Phillips Screwdriver inside your rig, not lying out on the outside table. It will come in handy when you come inside and close the door and the little spring pin and the latch decide to disconnect from each other. When this happens the lever used to open the door just flops back and forth and the door will not open.

At this point you have three choices, 1. pull out the phillips and take the screws and plate off the door, (like I said if the phillips inside and not lying out on the outside table) 2. look out your windows for signs of life that may come and open the door from the outside. 3. Start thinking about lowering yourself from one of the emergency windows.

In my case #1 was not a option due to the above mention reason. With #2 There were no signs of life and getting help would have involved much yelling and probably scaring people half to death. (This was 6pm and the park office was closed and park manager was not home) # 3 just left me feeling there has got to be another way, I don't want to drop out of a window, I'll break something on me.

So I stood there with sort of a dazed look, not really thinking too hard, just staring out the front window not liking that I could not open the door. Finally I decided I was just going to have to YELL. So I opened the window and just as I was about to go into my first cry for help, my neighbor pulls up in her driveway. I'm saved.

Once outside I find my trusty phillips. Take the plate off and find I can fix it, sort of. The pin (small round piece of medal) that slides up through the handle will not fit properly. I get it to work for the night and bring the phillips inside, but taking it apart again and trying to get it aligned properly is on my list of things to do today.

The morale of this story is to one check the screws on the door plate every now then for tightness, and two, keep a phillips inside your rig just in case you fail to do number one.

Kathi · 08-20-2005, 07:06 AM

Seems to me I remember SOMEONE ELSE on this forum that had that very same problem. Seems they were setting the alarm off in their truck to gain attention. I guess it worked cuz I haven't heard any reports of dead bodies found in any Montanas. I have a screwdriver that has 2 rings around the shaft that hold every size of plain and phillips on it. That way you can interchange if the size if different. Only problem is getting Paul to return it to the same place he got it from. I find it laying all over the place. Home Depot/Lowes my kind of stores. Kathi

melnjoy · 08-20-2005, 07:16 AM

What a great story! I'm thinking this will definitley have to go on the to do list before leaving home! Wow, lucky for you that your neighbor came home when she did! Crawling through windows can be such a pain.

Glad to hear everything worked out so well in the end.

Joy

Montana_139 · 08-20-2005, 07:31 AM

BJ,

We had the same thing happen. The cam surface broke inside the door latch. We did have a Phillips inside, so we were able to get out. We went to the RV parts store and bought a new door latch. Installation was easy.

Glenn

CountryGuy · 08-20-2005, 07:45 AM

Yep, that was us, in New Orleans! Had cell phone on hip, but phone number of campground (we had JUST checked in) was in truck. Had one yorkie on my hip, 3 yorkies, computer, scanner, printer, camera, and more, outside in truck, in a bright warming sun! GULP! I was worried about the heat in the truck with no windows open and 3 yorks in their crates.

Al and I were both inside inspecting what had moved around on I-10 (you all know bout that road, right??)A lot had moved around, cabinets opened, stuff on the floors, if we had put out the slides we would have done some damage. I had to crawl OVER the kitchen sink and recover items from desk, close doors and scoop the stuff on the floor to the space under the desk.

Anyway, went to get OUT and the door knob was not functioning, same as fla native! Looked out those fire escapes, and I told Al (and he agreed), it was not burning, we were NOT jumping! Al says, call the office, oh, but the phone number was in the truck, OUTSIDE the trailer! HAHA.

So, since we were basically parked right across from the office, we just started setting off the alarm on the truck. Third reset brought the owner out and right to us! We asked him to gently try the door, came right open! Another camper came down, figured out what the deal was, that pin had dropped out. Our fix was to put some silicone at the bottom, therefore holding the pin in. Funny story now, but was not very funny at the time!

Good idea fla native, about the screwdriver, I think Al has one in here, but, I am gonna check! Just in case!

Montana_70 · 08-20-2005, 09:04 AM

Carol,

I must have missed your original post. I am quite sure it was not funny at the time. I did not have the other factors you had with the yorkies and and computers but more of an internal struggle. Do not like feeling, how should I say this, TRAPPED! Yes, I had the windows but like you, felt there had to be another way, but it had to be soon!

Did not think of setting off LadyRam. Anyway you can be sure that my inside tool kit will never again be left carelessly on the table outside. Maybe we could design a clear case for a phillips with it mounted next to the door, that says, "Break Glass In Case Door Will Not Open".

CountryGuy · 08-20-2005, 09:29 AM

fla native

the majority of the original post was probably in my Tour of 2004 notes (at the web site), don't remember how much of it I actually posted here at MOC.

I like your idea of a clear case and the "Break Glass" notification! Chuckle chuckle!

I can feel your panic, it was mine, and a lot of mine, like yours, was the feeling of being trapped! NOT GOOD!

Parrothead · 08-20-2005, 10:32 AM

I have always teased Ed about having screwdrivers all over the place but I won't anymore. We keep a set (phillips and slot) in the kitchen drawer and also have a small tool box (mine) in one of the overheads inside. He has two toolboxes in basement, one in truck and always has a couple of screwdrivers in the door pocket in the truck. I think they will just all stay there.
Happy trails..........................

Thunderman · 08-20-2005, 10:52 AM

My door lock was a bit different...I was locked out. I did have a choice of going in thru the laundry drop door. I did enter the Monty this way but it was a tight strenuous squeeze. After getting in I was able to remove the defective lock.
Weldon

Roman4 · 08-20-2005, 03:22 PM

We were locked out also. We called Good Sam Emergency Road Service; they sent a locksmith team who gained entry for us although they did not attempt to repair the lock. We then called the lock mfgr who sent a replacement lockset (under warranty) to our next-scheduled park site.

The recommendation to always have a phillips screwdriver accessible inside the trailer is excellent advice.

sreigle · 08-22-2005, 02:41 PM

Like Thunderman, we were locked out and I entered via the laundry chute door. However, this was on day of delivery when we arrived in our driveway and found I had lost the keys between dealer and home. We never found those keys.

BJ, what more can happen to you?

prariepoodle · 08-22-2005, 02:57 PM

Well ours was lock the truck keys in the truck and the other set was in the Montana,we were in town 15 miles away.

Poor Walt had to get a ride to the campground and of course the camper was locked. Well he found one basement door was not locked so up the laundry shoot he went. Well needless to say I don't leave home without my set of keys in my purse. As soon as I read this post I had him over checking everything on the door. LOL, He says that the forum makes a lot of work for him because every time I read something that someone else has had happen I send him to check it out.LOL. OH WELL he has to have something to do.

OH!! Now I have a Phillips screwdriver in my junk drawer.LOL

Montana_70 · 08-23-2005, 10:35 AM

Steve,

Well right now, today, it's just the gray water tank leaking and the audio in my TV is messed up. But hey this stuff is so minor I can't really get too upset about it. I think I reached a point where it feels "normal" to have something wrong with my unit. Otherwise there is just too much anticipation.

richfaa · 08-23-2005, 02:08 PM

I would never do that????

mobilrvn · 08-26-2005, 03:42 AM

Now I know why I have a set of indoor tools and outdoor tools! Thanks for the headsup.

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